VC Encore 2040 Burn Cycle

[Woodsplitter67]

Im going to post this in multiple post so its not confusing.. I will add pictures as I went along the burn cycle..

Starting from the picture above.. I woke up and opened up the air all the way from last nights overnight burn.. burned the glass clean and let the coals burn down as there was too much in there

 

[Woodsplitter67]

At 6.30 am I loaded the box a little more then half way.. The air was all the way open.. I Immediately closed the the bypass.. the cat went to 1011 degrees and I cut the air to half and left it there

the cat temperature I started with was about 500..

 

[Woodsplitter67]

At 7.20 the cat peaked at 1407 degrees.. the stove temp earlier had dropped to roughly 425.

I am not concerned about the STT.. Your STT should actually drop when you load it with wood.. Why? I just dropped like 30lbs of wood on the coals and closed the bypass The wood is cold compared to the coals and the wood is blocking the heat getting to the griddle. The heat is going to the cat.

This is a hot reload.. your stove was already up to temperature as well as your stovepipe and cat.. and should run fine.. the problem I reading here is sometimes you guys see the STT drop ad open the bypass getting to much lit and off gassing at the same time creating a flaming mess in the box..

 

[Woodsplitter67]

at 7.45 my cat dropped to 1274 degrees.. stove pushing 600 wood starting to coal up.. most offgassing is complete

 

[Woodsplitter67]

at 8.43am.. im getting more coals cats at 1049 degrees

 

[Woodsplitter67]

At 11.30am I opend up the air getting ready for the next load.. between 6.30am and 11.30 am I did not touch the stove.. once the bypass was closed at 6.30 am and the air was cut back to half.. that was how the stove ran.. At 11.30 am I opened the air to burn the coals down again and reloaded at noon put in 2 large round logs, and one that was split in half.. a little over a half box.. I Immediately closed the bypass.. cat got to 1107 degrees.. turnd the air to half way and just let it run.. again.. have touched it since

My stove ran for 5 hours on a little ove a half of a box and never touched the stove.. My stove was loaded again at 11.30 am.. I will not touch the stove unti approximately 4.30pm

The same process is for an overnight burn.. Ill load the stove at approximately 7pm.. using the same method... BUT I will wait till the cat at about 1000 degrees and cut the air all the way back.. it will burn 10 hours or so.. Ill never touch the stove.. cat never goes above 1300..

Ill wake u the next morning.. repeat the cycle

 

[Woodsplitter67]

This is not how I normally burn.. It was 7 this morning so im going through more wood today than normal.. Ill post How I normally run the stove..

 

[begreen]

Thread extracted from the too long VC thread bucket.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Thread extracted from the too long VC thread bucket.

thanks for pulling this out..

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

This is a great sequence. I remember this last winter and it completely changed the way my stove ran

 

[Woodsplitter67]

This is a great sequence. I remember this last winter and it completely changed the way my stove ran

friends helping friends out.. this is the name of the game..

 

[DullAxe]

Thanks for the information Woodsplitter - this will be key to my engaging the cat here in a day or two to try that out. Especially the part about seeing the STT drop after reload and not opening the bypass again.

BTW - what probe do you use with the Auber AT100-TC? Is it the 6" Inconel Probe?

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Thanks for the information Woodsplitter - this will be key to my engaging the cat here in a day or two to try that out. Especially the part about seeing the STT drop after reload and not opening the bypass again.

BTW - what probe do you use with the Auber AT100-TC? Is it the 6" Inconel Probe?

your using the 6in k type thermcoupler I got mine from thermo works.. get the 2000 degree one..

 

[AsylumResident]

I went through this process last night and my glass got pretty brown. Had a good bed of hot coals, filled up about half full, closed the bypass and set the air control to half. Other than the glass everything seemed to go as expected. I have the Defiant, installed March ‘23. Any thoughts on the glass?

 

[Woodsplitter67]

So

I went through this process last night and my glass got pretty brown. Had a good bed of hot coals, filled up about half full, closed the bypass and set the air control to half. Other than the glass everything seemed to go as expected. I have the Defiant, installed March ‘23. Any thoughts on the glass?

Im pretty sure yours is the 1975 cat c.. is this correct.. Can you tell me what the cat temperature was and where the SST both settled in at.. Also.. have you tested your wood. Have you tested the MC on a freshly split face.. what is the MC of the wood..

 

[AsylumResident]

1975 cat c, correct. The SST was around 550-575 for a good portion of the burn (measured with an infrared temp gun) and the MC on the fresh splits was 8-9%. For this burn I was burning black locust. I do not have the cat temp since I only have the stock cat thermometer that comes with the stove. That only gives the range to "operate catalyst" which is was in range. I do have a digital probe ordered and on the way.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Im not saying anything negative.. are you sure your measuring the woods MC correctly.. 8/9% is more like kiln dried wood.. If thats waht you purchased then ok.. if your measuring the MC on the outside or end of the split its not accurate.. you need to resplit the wood open and measure on the freshly split face.. pins going with the grain..

You shouldn't have any dark glass at all with the air half way back.. With the air half way were the flames still active.. and how much wood was in the box

I ask this because.. the newer stoves burn hotter.. you cant turn your air back as much as the older stoves.. I know this from the dealer.. Im referring to the encore and defiant stoves only.. excluding the Dauntless and aspen..

 

[AsylumResident]

I've had the wood sitting for three years and this last summer, with not much rain, it spent a lot of time in the sun uncovered. I did measure it correctly. When I freshly split the locust it's been consistent around 8-9%. I have some ash that is at about 17-18% right now when I freshly split it and measure on the split face. I suppose there is a chance the meter is cheap and inaccurate.

There were four larger splits of wood and one log approximately 4" diameter.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

So the dirty glass is a couple things.. 1 would be the MC of the wood is high and smoldering.. 2 would be if the catalyst was not completely engaged and stalled.. 3 would be that the air flap is out of adjustment 4 you didn't establish enough draft when you closed the bypass and engaged the catalyst, making draft week..

Honestly.. putting the digital probe in when you get it will help rule this out as you will be able to see exact temperatures and what's actually going on.. This is your first year with the stove.. correct..

 

[AsylumResident]

Yes it is my first stove and I wouldn't be surprised if draft was the issue. I know my chimney isn't as long as it should be. My insurance company said I needed a certified installer to install it which is frustrating because I would have been able to install it, to spec. After the installation I looked it over and had numerous questions, which they took offense too. Who am I to question their install? One of the issues is the chimney height coming out the top of the roof. Other issues were not meeting minimum clearances to combustibles for class A chimney pipe. After looking at the manual and doing the calculation, it should be a minimum 64" above the roof penetration. Currently sits at 48" from the certified installer. They are supposed to be out in the next week to look things over to see if they made a mistake or I'm just making it all up. After that long winded detail, I have another question. When they add to my chimney to meet the minimum required 64" they will be adding at least 16" of height. How much of a difference will 16" of height make in draft?

 

[newguyjoe]

So are 1000 - 1400 degree Cat temps normal and safe ? what should the stove pipe temp be when this is happening ? i also have the "operate Catalyst" prob and need a digital one for this year.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Yes it is my first stove and I wouldn't be surprised if draft was the issue. I know my chimney isn't as long as it should be. My insurance company said I needed a certified installer to install it which is frustrating because I would have been able to install it, to spec. After the installation I looked it over and had numerous questions, which they took offense too. Who am I to question their install? One of the issues is the chimney height coming out the top of the roof. Other issues were not meeting minimum clearances to combustibles for class A chimney pipe. After looking at the manual and doing the calculation, it should be a minimum 64" above the roof penetration. Currently sits at 48" from the certified installer. They are supposed to be out in the next week to look things over to see if they made a mistake or I'm just making it all up. After that long winded detail, I have another question. When they add to my chimney to meet the minimum required 64" they will be adding at least 16" of height. How much of a difference will 16" of height make in draft?

So im somewhat in the same boat as you.. I basically have the minimal amount of stove pipe.. I increased the draft by going with the 8inch stovepipe instead of the 6inch.. Adding 16" probably isn't going to make a significant difference.. Id start with 2ft.. you may want to ask @bholler.. hes a professional in the field

Just to be on the safe side.. Id have the installer check the primary air flap.. make sure you have as much air going in as you should.. I just did the adjustment on mine..

The primary air flap is in the back .. bottom of the stove.. with the primary air closed.. loosen the hex nut holding the cable and pull the cable untill the flap is just about to open.. then I back the cable off some to make sure it will close all the way .. tighten the hex nut.. then open and close the primary air and you shold hear the flap open and close.. when closing you will hear the flap click against the body of the stove.. This will make sure you have maximum primary air and it will shut down all the way

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Heres a couple pictures I just snapped of the primary air flap opened and closed

 

[JohnDaileyNH]

So are 1000 - 1400 degree Cat temps normal and safe ? what should the stove pipe temp be when this is happening ? i also have the "operate Catalyst" prob and need a digital one for this year.

Not sure about stove pipe temps, I don't monitor this. But cat temps 1000-1400 are good. That is what I would consider the ideal range for optimal burn on this stove.

 

[AsylumResident]

Heres a couple pictures I just snapped of the primary air flap opened and closed

View attachment 316597 View attachment 316598

This is mine closed and then fully open.